http://www.biennialtehran.com/http://www.myspace.com/biennialtehran
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46106876988 Urban Jealousy Belgrade
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=11244991467 group
* Biennial Tehran / Urban Jealousy in Istanbul
30 May - 6 July 2008
* Biennial Tehran / Urban Jealousy in Berlin
20 Nov - 7 Dec. 2008
* Biennial Tehran / Urban Jealousy in Belgrade
03 Apr - 10 Apr. 2009
The 1st International Roaming Biennial of Tehran ,Urban Jealousy International Roaming Biennial of Tehran, curated and organized by Serhat Koksal and Amirali Ghasemi ,chose Istanbul as its first station . The idea of this independent, low-budget exhibition started out both as a critique of the
international "biennialization" and '' gentrification '' process.Featured works by artists from different countries from all around the world, selected from an open submission call, which has had an overwhelming response. Berlin is it's 2nd station.Belgrade will be 3th stop . VIDEOS/POSTERS/DRAWINGS/PHOTOGRAPHS/POSTCARDS/STICKERS/PERFORMANCES/MUSIK ....... biennialtehran@gmail.com ...........................................................
BANT MAGAZINE INTERVIEW MAY 2008 bant magazine
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“BIENNINAL TEHRAN” THAT IS INNOVATIVE , UNLIMITED AND INDEPENDENT WITH IT’S THEME OF “URBAN JEALOUSY” BELONGING TO IRANIAN ARTIST AMIRALI GHASEMI AND SERHAT KOKSAL WHO WE ALSO KNOW AS 2/5 BZ WILL START ON 30 MAY AT IT’S FIRST STOP KARAKOY HAFRIYAT ISTANBUL
We talked to Serhat Koksal and Amirali Ghasemi about the name “Tehran Biennial”, and the theme of the biennial “Urban Jealousy ” and the reason why it is being done in Istanbul ?
What was the starting point of Biennial Tehran, how did this idea come into existence and how did you meet with Amirali?
Serhat Koksal . I was in Tehran 12 years ago. also In 2001, I made the music of a documentary film named “Tehran 1930 ” that is widely shown in European TV channels at that time. I met some people from the art scene in Tehran.I and Amirali meet each other almost 2-3 years. We have heard our names previously but when he came to Istanbul two years ago for an exhibition with the posters he brought with him, I recognized that we have common points according to our understandings. First, he invited me to his “Deeper Depression” named exhibition that was held in 2006. I attend that exhibition with my video installation and later in 2007; he invited me to attend a project that is related to Berlin and Tehran. So I played and produced a audiovisual performance named “NO Goethe NO Hafez NO Bridge NO Biennial”. We had a thought of making a common study together since that time and he gave me some works of artists who lives there. They were successful works, but I did not have an idea of presenting Iranian artists’ works in Istanbul or somewhere else. I did not want to do this. This was something like Istanbul exhibitions with bad theme that held in European and the artists from Istanbul attend it… We were trying a theme that is related to our common problems about this common study. One day while I was in Tehran at that time I heard some artists who were making joke to each other by means of saying “we do not have an international biennial. Maybe we are lucky”. As a result of this, I told to Amirali “Ok, Amirali. The theme that we are searching must be Tehran Biennial, and we must hold this in Istanbul with the name of “Biennial Tehran”. Later I found out the Jealousy theme about Tehran. Amirali completed this with the word “Urban” and prepared a very good writing about the exhibition. Of course, attendees will not only be from Iran. Good job do not have a nationality.
The main aim of the exhibition was globalizing biennial activities. Can we mention from this point of view of the exhibition?
Serhat Koksal . I am conducting performances in various cities on the relationship of energy pipeline with cultural dialog enforcements, the relationship of international capital with establishing a bridge and its relationship with art and on branding studies of cities. So I believe that it is normal limiting big artistic cultural activities and doing all of them single type.
I did some works including curator hegemony and these biennale subjects and also added humour in them since the beginning of 2000. And I wrote some writings in several magazines. Yes, this biennial also tries to ask that “why these biennials are made by ministry of cultures, big art foundations or by modern holdings?” Another aim is to question status difference in art world. Do not have less qualified people to make biennial? The real purpose will be constituted with its participants
Amirali, you are also founder of independent art gallery Parkingallery that operates in Tehran. We want to make interview with you in next years but could you please mention us about Parkingallery and its activities?
Amirali.Ghasemi. Parkingallery is an independent design studio, project area and art gallery that started in Tehran in 1998. Our online gallery opened in 2002 and we have been preparing exhibition and panels since that time. Besides, we are working with alternative rock groups. Our real purpose is to concentrate on new medias, designs and photography and to support looking promising young artists
In fact we do not have any idea about art in Iran. Western propaganda is one of the reasons of this. Could you please a little mention about art arena in Iran?
Amirali.Ghasemi. Tahran art arena constitutes from different island. They do not talk with each other and do not have contacts. It seems as there is a competitive environment between them. But we want to consider ourselves like a boat in metaphor meaning. Of course, there are young Iranian artists who are known internationally. But most of them conducting works which are appropriate to market; simple politic art works or exotic ordinary works…
And the propaganda machine is working very good and blocking the news regarding our country against typical clichés. I mean, even we received several applications from all over the world; I do not believe a miracle will be with Tehran Biennial. This biennial is mainly related with travelling, talking, reshaping the situations and developing new horizons. It is a little bit old, slow and serious for achieving the institutional biennale purposes.
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S MAGAZINE INTERVIEW OCTOBER 2008 S magazine
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THE SECOND STOP OF INTERNATIONAL ROAMING BIENNIAL IS BERLIN. THE BIENNIAL WILL BE HELD BETWEEN
21-NOVEMBER-7 DECEMBER 2008 AND VARIOUS ACTIVITIOUS WILL BE HELD WITH THE NAME “URBAN STRUGGLE”
IN ADDITION TO “URBAN JEALOUSY ”.
Did you face with obligations for providing the independent and continues feature of the exhibition? What kind of points do you pay attention about this?
Serhat Koksal We paid attention to hold the exhibition in independent places. We received several offers from all over the world for the exhibition but we did not accept the ones which are not appropriate to us because they included some positions which may protect independent feature of the exhibition. We are staying away from the activities related to cultural activities for branding the cities, and using the cultural activities ,decorations for economical purposes and sovereigns 's dialogue fetishism . I hope we will continue without mistaken.
What is your Berlin Plan, do you have any plan regarding to places and activities?
Serhat Koksal Thanks to our friends we are trying to find place for the exhibition and doing its introduction. In Berlin, there will be 5 exhibition places and some other activities will be held in other places. In addition to “Urban Jealousy ” theme of the exhibition, there
will be several panel and performances about “Urban Struggle” and “Cultural Relations”.
Is our history combining us when comparing the cultural relationship between Turkey and Iran?
Amirali Ghasemi As a person from outside I am not able to comment because I am not dominant both Turkish and Iranian politics. But I can say that Turkey and Iran share the same problems and hopes.
Well, I can't really tell you if iran and turkey are coming close to eachother or going far from eachother, becasue I am not aware completly of cultural policies of the two countries But I see some positive potecial of understanding becasue Iran and Turkey in many levels are sharing similar dificulties and hopes due to their contemporay history
How does Istanbul look like from Tehran about “Jealousy ” subject? Did you feel this aspect has changed during the time you are in Istanbul? we see jealousy as a positive action according to desires because of our failures.when we look at the tahran biennial, what was our failures that reflect jealousy?
Amirali.Ghasemi At the 1st glance Iranians might look kind of jealousy when considering Istanbul, this also includes me, during my visits I saw more opportunities for art producers and cultural activist, but now may be I can understand that I was wrong to some degree, 1st of all, in Istanbul, like many other cities in the region, there more and more independent art spaces are being invaded by art market and downgraded to commercial / established galleries which are less interested in experimental practices and because of their involvement in the system of cultural mega-project and main stream waves they can't develop their critical discourse and their voice dissolves in the crowd , this process with a bit delay is happening in Tehran too,in another hand not only because of the systematic ideologic propaganda and elitist state cultural monopoly but in result of emerging a new sophisticated art market and huge investments in the small Arab states on the southern shores of the Persian gulf.
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